Hours after Mohammed Bashir Sa’idu, a former Commissioner during the Nasiru El-Rufai administration, was remanded in a Kaduna Correctional Facility on charges of corruption and money laundering, the former governor made a notable visit to the facility.
El-Rufai, accompanied by key figures from his administration, reportedly sought an audience with the embattled former commissioner.
Additionally, he visited the court where Sa’idu had been arraigned but was unable to meet with the presiding judge. According to a report by BBC Hausa monitored on Thursday evening, the former governor also visited the office of Operation Fushin Kada but did not encounter the security operatives involved. He later proceeded to the Kaduna State Police Command, but the details of his discussions there were not disclosed as El-Rufai declined to speak with journalists.
Mohammed Bashir Sa’idu, who served as Commissioner of Finance and Local Government and later as Chief of Staff to El-Rufai, is accused of money laundering, criminal breach of trust, and misappropriation of public funds. The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed his arrest and the ongoing investigation.
According to a security source, a petition submitted to the police alleges that Sa’idu laundered N3.96 billion and misappropriated N244 million during his tenure from 2015 to 2023. The allegations also include the undervalued sale of $45 million in state-owned foreign currency at an exchange rate of N410 per dollar instead of the parallel market rate of N498 per dollar, reportedly causing a loss of over N3.96 billion to the Kaduna State government.
Police sources state that this transaction contravenes Section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Furthermore, Sa’idu allegedly failed to account for proceeds from the sale of government-owned houses in Marafa Estate, Kaduna, worth approximately N244 million, a violation of Section 300 of the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017.
The Kaduna State House of Assembly had earlier investigated Sa’idu’s financial activities and forwarded its findings to anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission. As part of the ongoing investigation, Sa’idu’s international passport has been confiscated.
Critics have suggested that the arrest might be politically motivated, claiming it was orchestrated through Operation Fushin Kada, a unit established to combat banditry in the region. However, the police have refuted these claims, emphasizing that the charges are based on credible evidence of financial misconduct.
Authorities have reiterated their commitment to upholding accountability and transparency in the management of public resources. Sa’idu remains in detention while investigations continue, with officials assuring the public that due process will be observed in prosecuting the case.
